Current Projects

Smoking

Movie Influences on Adolescent Smoking: A Follow-Up Study

  • Awarding Agency: National Cancer Institute, CA108918
  • Project Period: 05/25/05-03/31/10
  • Principal Investigators: Madeline A. Dalton, Ph.D. and Michael L. Beach, M.D., Ph.D.
Aim:
To evaluate the influence of movies on adolescent smoking behavior and to identify parenting factors that might modify the association between exposure to movie smoking and adolescent smoking.

 

Obesity, Activity, and Diet

The Effect of Motivation, Barriers, and Perceptions of the Built Environment on Physical Activity Levels

  • Awarding Agency: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 58543
  • Project Period: 08/01/06-07/31/08
  • Principal Investigator: Anna M. Adachi-Mejia, Ph.D.
Aim:
To evaluate the impact of motivation to do physical activity on adult perceptions of the built environment and to determine whether perceived psychological barriers to physical activity influence the relationship between characteristics of the built environment and physical activity among mothers in rural communities.

Environmental and Family Influences on Adolescent Overweight

  • Awarding Agency: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, ES014218
  • Project Period: 9/19/05-08/31/10
  • Principal Investigator: Madeline A. Dalton, Ph.D.
Aim:
To evaluate individual, family, school, and community influences on adolescent overweight. To identify characteristics of the environment, such as community design and resource availability, that influence adolescents' physical activity and dietary patterns.

Obesity and the Built Environment Additional Observational Measures

  • Awarding Agency: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 58124
  • Project Period: 07/01/06-06/30/09
  • Principal Investigators: Madeline A. Dalton, Ph.D. and Norman Marshall
Aim:
To use three instruments developed with the support of Robert Wood Johnson's Active Living Program to assess community characteristics, parks, and trails as part of a larger study evaluating the influence of the built environment on adolescent obesity.

Youth Exposure to Food and Beverage Placement in Movies

  • Awarding Agency: National Cancer Institute, CA116706
  • Project Period: 07/15/05-07/31/08
  • Principal Investigator: Lisa A. Sutherland, Ph.D.
Aim:
To assess the prevalence and intensity of food and beverage placement in movies and to estimate youth exposure to food and beverage brand appearances.

TV Watching Exposure, Eating and Nutrition Study (TWEENS)

  • Awarding Agency: National Cancer Institute, CA113949
  • Project Period: 09/20/06-06/30/11
  • Principal Investigator: Lisa A. Sutherland, Ph.D.
Aim:
To assess children’s exposure to food and beverage advertisements on TV and evaluate its impact on children’s dietary practices.

Assessing the Impact of School Vending Machine Policies on Adolescent Beverage Consumption in Rural High Schools

  • Awarding Agency: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, 63147
  • Project Period: 09/01/07-08/31/09
  • Principal Investigator: Anna Adachi-Mejia, Ph.D.
Aim:
To analyze the impact of school vending machine policies on adolescent beverage consumption in predominantly rural high schools across New Hampshire and Vermont.

Creating Workplace "Fresh Connections" to increase Fruit and Vegetable Consumption

  • Awarding Agency: Quinn Family Foundation
  • Project Period: 10/01/07-02/08/09
  • Principal Investigator: Anna Adachi-Mejia, Ph.D.
Aim:
In collaboration with Vital Communities, a regional nonprofit organization committed to quality community life, this project involves a partnership with local employers to develop work site interventions that will increase fruit and vegetable intake among employees and their families.

Environmental and Family Influences on Adolescent Overweight (Supplement)

  • Awarding Agency: National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, ES014218-04S1
  • Project Period: 08/01/08-07/31/09
  • Principal Investigator: Madeline A. Dalton, Ph.D.
Aim:
To design, translate and communicate the results and study findings into educational materials appropriate and useful for schools and community groups, while also establishing new partnerships with organizations well suited to use and implement findings in meaningful ways at statewide levels.

Chronic Illness

New England Regional Genetics & Newborn Screening Collaborative

  • Awarding Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration-subcontract through University of New Hampshire
  • Project Period: 06/01/07-05/31/12
  • Principal Investigator: Joanna Fanos, Ph.D.
Aim:
Within a larger goal of developing effective practice models for newborn screening programs, Dr. Fanos will work collaboratively to ensure a long-term follow-up psychosocial component.

New England Regional Genetics & Newborn Screening Collaborative

  • Awarding Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration-subcontract through University of Massachusetts
  • Project Period: 06/01/07-05/31/12
  • Principal Investigator: Joanna Fanos, Ph.D.
Aim:
To convene a regional work group of psychologists and mental health professional to identify, understand, and improve functional outcomes and measures of well-being for children and families affected by conditions in newborn screening panels.

Integrated Services Grant

  • Awarding Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
  • Project Period: 05/01/06-05/30/09
  • Principal Investigator: Ardis Olson, M.D.
Aim:
This program is designed to respond to the needs of Children and Youth with Special Needs (CSHCN) within the State of New Hampshire by creating an integrated, community-based system of care.

Project Access: Improving care to children and youth with epilepsy

  • Awarding Agency: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
  • Project Period: 09/01/07-08/30/10
  • Principal Investigator: Ardis Olson, M.D.
Aim:
This program is designed to increase practice capacity to develop and implement family/professional partnerships in the context of a culturally competent medical home. Increase community capacity to understand epilepsy, reduce stigma and enhance the partnership between community and school systems and medical providers.

Traumatic Brain Injury and the Maine National Guard

  • Awarding Agency: Maine Health Access Foundation
  • Project Period: 11/01/07-12/31/10
  • Principal Investigator: Elizabeth Pearson
Aim:
This clinical improvement project focuses on screening Maine National Guard service members prior to deployment and post deployment to identify cognitive changes that may occur in combat and train community-based providers in care coordination in partnership with the Main VA care system.

 

Prenatal Exposure

Continuation of follow-up of DES-exposed cohorts

  • Awarding Agency: National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, N01 CP51019
  • Project Period: 09/30/92-09/29/10
  • Principal Investigator: Linda Titus-Ernstoff, Ph.D.
Aim:
The aims of this renewed phase of follow-up are to evaluate cancer incidence and mortality in the DES mothers cohort, and to examine the relationship between in utero DES exposure and adverse health outcomes in the daughters and sons cohorts. We will also evaluate the possibility of DES effects in the third generation of women (the granddaughters of women exposed to DES during pregnancy).